Hatch construction



Nov. 28, 1939. c, D, BONSALL 2,181,115

HATCH CONSTRUCTION Original Filed April 13, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l f// Arron/E f5.

Nov. 28, 1939. c:. D. BoNsALL 2.181,115

HATCH CONSTRUCTION Original Filed April 13, 1936` 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @2%. i 4 /ld I j v I /Ai/EA/rae:

Patented Nov. 28, 1939 UNiTED STATES HATCH CONSTRUCTION Charles David Bonsall, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Standard Railway Equipment Manufact poration of Delaware Original 74,218. ber

Divided and uring Company, a corapplication April 13, 1936, Serial No.

this application Novem- 20, 1937, Serial No. 175,728

9 Claims.` (C1. 10S-5.4)

The subject matter hereof is divided out of my application Serial No. 74,218, filed April 13, 1936, for patent for Hatch construction.

The invention relates to the hatch construction of a metal car roof. It has for its principal objects to devise a strong and durable hatch construction of simple, economical and weatherproof construction and to attain other advantageshereinafter appearing. The invention consists in the hatch construction and in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specication and whereinlike symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. l is a plan View of the end portion of a car roof provided with a hatch construction embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical partial transverse section through the roof on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical partial longitudinal section through the roof on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the plates for reinforcing and stiffening the hollow rim portion of the metal hatch frame,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section similar to Fig. 2 through one side of the hatch- Way,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section similar to Fig. 3 through one side of the hatchway; and Figs. 7 and 8 are views similar to Fig. 6 illustrating two modified forms of hatch construction.

In Figs. l to- 6 of the accompanying drawings, my invention is shown in connection with a metal refrigerator car roof comprising end and intermediate roof sheets l and 2, respectively, that extend from side plate 3 to side plate 3 of the car with their eaves ends resting on and riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the outstanding top iianges of eaves angles 4, whose depending ilanges are riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the upstanding inner side flanges lof said side plates. The roof sheets are provided along their adjacent margins with upstanding flanges 5 that are straddled by a seam cap 6 Vthat is riveted` or otherwise secured to said flanges and to the top anges of the eaves angles 4. At the end of the car, the end roof l sheet I is supported on and riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the outstanding top ange of an end angle l, whose depending inner side ange is riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the upstanding inner side flange of an end plate 8.

The roof is provided with one or more hatchways that lead downwardly into the interior of the car through the end sheet and a framework located therebelow. Said framework comprises spaced parallel frame or carline members 9 that extend from side plate to side plate with their ends rigidly secured thereto and themselves supporting spaced cross frame members Il). The carline members and cross members preferably comprise oblique metal angles arranged with their tops flush and with their sides converging downwardly. y

Each hatchwayis provided with a hoppershaped metal hatch frame i2 that extends downwardly through the opening defined by the frame members 9 and I0 with its downwardly converging sides resting flatwise against the inclined sides thereof. The hatch frame l2 also extends upwardly above the general level of the roof into an opening provided therefor in the end sheet I where it cooperates withan upstanding flange 18a along the margin of said opening to form an exterior, downwardly opening hollow rim I3 around the upper portion of said hatch frame. The hollow'rim I3` around the metal hatch frame is preferably reinforced and stiffened along its four sides by means of upright plates I4 that rest upon the tops of the angle iron frame members 9 and l il andextend upwardly into said rim and have a snug flt therein. The platesl I4 are welded, as at l 5, along their edges to the portions of the hatch frame in contact therewith and are also tack-welded, as at lli, at their lower edges to the tops of the frame members 9 and l0.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6d the upper end of the metal hatch frame l2 is provided with a mere outstanding flange 20; and the upstan'ding flange Illa along the margin of the opening in the hatch sheet has its upper edge disposed substantially flush with the underside of said outstanding flange. The roof sheet flange and hatch sheet flange are secured together by a weld l9a. ofadded metal that extends along the adjacent edges of said flanges.

In the modified construction shown in Fig.`

7, the top flange 2| of the metal hatch frame is made narrower than the top flange 20 of the hatch frame shown in Fig. 6; and the upstanding hatch sheet flange is provided at its top with an inwardly extending portion Ib that abuts edgewise against the outer edge of the hatch frame ange. The hatch frame flange and roof sheet flange'v are rigidly secured together by a weld |917 of added metal that extends along the tops of said flanges above the joint therebetween. 5g;y

In the modied construction shown in Fig. 8, the metal hatch frame is made without a top flange and the hatch sheet ange has an inwardly extending portion |30 at its upper end that is disposed flush with the upper edge of said hatch frame and abuts edgewise against the side thereof. The metal hatch frame and roof sheet flange are secured together by a weld |90 of added metal that covers the joint therebetween.

The hatch construction hereinbefore described has numerous advantages. The cross plates in the hollow rim around the upper portion of the metal hatch framel serve as ties and struts for preventing distortion thereof; and they also afford means for welding the hatch frame to the supporting framework therefor. The metal hatch frame can be applied to the car with the framework as a separate unit, or it may be welded to the framework after the latterv is applied to the car. The hatch sheet can be removed without removing the hatch frame; and, likewise, the hatch frame can be removed without removing the hatch sheet.

What I claim is:

l. A hatch construction for a car roof comprising a metal roof sheet having a hatch opening therein and an upstanding ange along the inargin of said opening, a metal hatch frame disposed in said opening and cooperating'with said ange to form a hollow rim around said hatch frame, said flange and said hatch frame having their upper edges disposed substantially in same plane, and a continuous weld for securing the upper edges of said hatch frame and said flange together.

2. A hatch construction for a car roof comprising a metal roof sheet having a hatch opening therein and an upstanding flange along the margin of said opening, a metal hatch frame disposed in said opening and cooperating with said flange to form a hollow rim around said hatch frame, said flange and said hatch frame having their upper edges disposed substantially in the same plane, a continuous weld of added metal securing the upper edges of said frame and said flange together, and upright plates spaced apart around -said rim and welded edgewise thereto.

3. A hatch construction for a car roof comprising a metal roof sheet having a hatch opening therein and an upstanding flange along the margin ofsaid opening, a metal hatch frame disposed in said opening and cooperating with said flange to form a hollow downwardly opening rim around said hatch frame, one of said flange and hatch frame terminating at its top in a laterally extending ange disposed substantially ush with the top of the other and secured edgewise thereto by a continuous weld of added metal, and web plates rigid with said roof and disposed in said hollow rim crosswise thereof and welded thereto.

4.1A hatch construction for a car roof comprising a metal roof sheet having a hatch opening therein and an upstanding flange along the margin of said opening, ametal hatch frame disposed in said opening and cooperating with said iange to form a hollow downwardly opening rim around said hatch frame, said hatch frame having an outstanding flange at its upper end, and a weld securing the outer edge of said outstanding flange to the upper edge of said yupstanding flange.

5. A hatch construction for a car roof coin'- prising a metal roof sheet having a hatch opening therein and an upstanding flange along the margin of said opening, a metal hatch frame disposed in said opening and cooperating with said flange to forni a hollow downwardly opening rim around said hatch frame, said hatch frame having an outstanding flange at its upper end, a weld securing the outer edge of said outstanding ange to the upper edge of said upstanding ange, and upright plates disposed in and welded to said rim crosswise thereof.

6. A hatch construction for a car roof comprising a metal roof sheet having a hatch opening therein and an upstanding flange along the margin of said opening, a metal hatch frame disposed in said opening and cooperating with said flange to form a hollow downwardly opening rim around said hatch frame, said flange having an inwardly extending portion at the top thereof and said hatch frame having an outstanding iiange at its upper end that extends along the edge of the inwardly extending portion of said upstanding flange, and a weld of added metal extending continuously along the tops of said flanges above the joint therebetween.

'7. A hatch construction for a car roof comprising a metal roof sheet having a hatch opening therein and an opstanding ange along the margin of said opening, a metal hatch frame disposed in said opening and cooperating with said flange to form a hoilow downwardly opening rim around said hatch frame, said ange having an inwardly extending portion at the top thereof and said hatch frame having an outstanding flange at its upper end that extends along the edge of the inwardly extending portion of said upstanding flange, a weld of added metal extending continuously along the tops of said flanges above the joint therebetween, and upright plates disposed in and welded to said rim crosswise thereof.

8. A hatch construction for a car roof comprising a metal roof sheet having a hatch opening therein and an upstanding flange along the margin of said opening, a metal hatch frame disposed in said opening and cooperating with said flange to form a downwardly opening rimaround said hatch frame, said upstanding iiange having an inwardly` extending portion at its upper end that is disposed substantially flush with the upper edge of said hatch frame and abuts edgewise against the side thereof, and a weld of added metal extending continuously along the upper surfaces of said hatch frame and said inwardly extending portion of said flange above the joint therebetween.

9. A hatch construction for a car roof comprising a metal roof sheet having a hatch opening therein and an upstanding flange along the margin of said opening, a metal hatch frame disposed in said opening and cooperating with said ange to form a downwardly opening rim around said hatch frame, said upstanding flange having an inwardly extending portion at its upper end that is disposed substantially flush with the upper edge of said hatch frame and abuts edgewise against the side thereof, a weld of added metal extending continuously along the upper surfaces of said hatch frame and said inwardly extending portion of said flange above the joint therebetween, and upright plates disposed in and welded to said rim crosswise thereof.

CHARLES DAVID BONSALL. 

